WEBVTT OUT.>> I'M NOT ASKING FOR YOU TOMAKE A GRAND STATEMENT OUT OFTHIS, I'M JUST ASKING YOU TOGENUINELY PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE ONTHAT BLOCK.MARK: GOVERNOR MATT BEVIN SAYS%GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, MONEY ANDPOLICE CAN'T STOP THE VIOLENCE.HE SAYS IT'S UP TO RESIDENTS TOSTAND UP TO GANGS AND DRUGDEALERS.SO HE WANTS THEM TO MEETREGULARLY TO PRAY AND WALK THESTREETS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.>> SO WE ASK PEOPLE OF DIFFERENTCHURCHES, CONGREGATIONS,SYNAGOGUES, PEOPLE WHO BELIEVEIN THE POWER OF PRAYER, AND WHOWANTED TO PUT THEIR FEET TOWORK, ALONG WITH THEIRCONVICTIONS AND THEIR FAITH, TOCOME CONSISTENTLY, AND WE ASKPEOPLE, START WITH 7:00 IN THEEVENING. >> SOME WELCOMED THE MESSAGE.>> WELL, I THINK WHAT IT'LL DO,IT'LL GIVE PEOPLE THE COURAGEAND THE FAITH.AND IT'LL GIVE THEM THE COURAGETO WALK THROUGH THENEIGHBORHOOD.IT'LL GIVE PEOPLE THE COURAGE TOGO TO A BLACK THEY DON'T KNOWNOBODY. >> OTHERS WERE NOT HAPPY WITHWHAT THEY HEARD.>> WE HAVE CHURCHES, WE HAVEPASTORS, WE HAVE FAITH WALKERSAND FAITH TALKERS WHO ARESTRUGGLING EVERY DAY JUST TOSURVIVE, AND THEY ARE ALREADYPRAYING FROM BLOCK TO BLOCK.WHAT WE NEED ARE RESOURCES. MARK: LOUISVILLE MAYOR GREGFISCHER OFFERED A MEASUREDRESPONSE.>> WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS SEETHE GOOD IN ANY SITUATION LIKETHIS.IF SOMEBODY CAN COME AND PROVIDESOME ACTUAL RESOURCES IN APOSITIVE WAY AND GET BEHIND THECOMMUNITY, I MEAN, OUR DOORS AREOPEN TO ANYBODY.>> GOVERNOR BEVIN ORIGINALLY DIDNOT WANT THE MEDIA TO ATTENDTHIS MEETING AND SECURITYACTUALLY BARRED REPORTERS FROM

Governor meets with religious, community leaders to discuss violence

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Updated: 5:31 PM EDT Jun 1, 2017

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

The governor is asking people who live in west Louisville to band together and pray.

Bevin made the appeal to pastors and community leaders today at Western Middle School.

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"I'm not asking for you to make a grand statement out of this, I'm just asking you to genuinely pray for the people on that block,” Bevin said.

Bevin said government programs, money and police can't stop the violence.

He said it's up to residents to stand up to gangs and drug dealers.

So he wants them to meet regularly to pray and walk the streets in their neighborhood.

“We ask people of different churches, congregations, synagogues, people who believe in the power of prayer, and who wanted to put their feet to work, along with their convictions and their faith, to come consistently, and we ask people, start with 7 o'clock in the evening,” Bevin said.

Some welcomed the message.

"Well, I think what it'll do, it'll give people the courage and the faith. And it'll give them the courage to walk through the neighborhood. It'll give people the courage to go to a block they don't know nobody,” Energized Baptist Church pastor, the Rev. Milton Seymour said.

Others were not happy with what they heard.

"But we have churches, we have pastors, we have faith walkers and faith talkers who are struggling every day just to survive, and they are already praying from block to block. What we need are resources,” Christ Church senior pastor the Rev. Frank Smith Jr. said.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer offered a measured response.

"What I'm trying to do is see the good in any situation like this. If somebody can come and provide some actual resources in a positive way and get behind the community, I mean, our doors are open to anybody,” Fischer said.

Originally, the media was told they would not be able to attend the meeting and security officials barred reporters from entering.